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HKBU invents nanostructure that stimulates growth of stem cells for Parkinson's disease treatment

21 May 2020

The research team led by Professor Ken Yung Kin-lam (right), Professor of the Department of Biology, and Dr Jeffery Huang Zhifeng, Associate Professor of the Department of Physics at HKBU, has developed a pioneering nanomatrix that can stimulate neural stem cells to differentiate into nerve cells and can offer help for treating Parkinson's disease.
The research team led by Professor Ken Yung Kin-lam (right), Professor of the Department of Biology, and Dr Jeffery Huang Zhifeng, Associate Professor of the Department of Physics at HKBU, has developed a pioneering nanomatrix that can stimulate neural stem cells to differentiate into nerve cells and can offer help for treating Parkinson's disease.
With the patented silica nanostructure, a self-organised mini-brain-like structure can be developed in only two weeks with the risk of initiating cancer formation substantially reduced.
With the patented silica nanostructure, a self-organised mini-brain-like structure can be developed in only two weeks with the risk of initiating cancer formation substantially reduced.
The nanomatrix consists of a silica plate coated with a nanostructure layer. Thickness of the nanomatrix is only 550 to 730 nm, yet there are trillions of nanozigzag structures on the surface which can initiate the differentiation of neural stem cells into mini-SNLSs.
The nanomatrix consists of a silica plate coated with a nanostructure layer. Thickness of the nanomatrix is only 550 to 730 nm, yet there are trillions of nanozigzag structures on the surface which can initiate the differentiation of neural stem cells into mini-SNLSs. 
The "physical massage" induces the neural stem cell to differentiate rapidly into the desired neuron. (photograph magnification: 10,000 times)
The "physical massage" induces the neural stem cell to differentiate rapidly into the desired neuron. (photograph magnification: 10,000 times)
 

Researchers from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) have invented a nanostructure that can stimulate neural stem cells to differentiate into nerve cells. They found that the transplantation of these nerve cells into rats with Parkinson's disease progressively improved their symptoms, with the new cells replacing damaged nerve cells around the transplantation site. This novel invention provides promising insights into stem cell therapies and offers hope of a new treatment for Parkinson's disease. 

 

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Research/Survey, Science, Biology, Physics